Category: marin homes

I ran into one of my favorite San Francisco real estate agents at Rulli’s in Larkspur this morning. He said the homes that came on the market in the early spring that were ‘show ready’, priced right and had few, if any downsides flew out the door to buyers who had been waiting for more inventory. Sounds familiar….

When my listing at www.40Steven.com was featured in the Friday Chronicle “Walk Through” section, the hits on the website went through the roof! Well, to be fair, the home was also featured on SFGate.com, but most buyers who came through over the next couple of weeks had seen the old-fashioned paper article. We may have an offer coming in from Denver buyers who did see the SFGate photos, and put the home at the top of their ‘must see’ list on their next trip out. There is still some room for good press!

Turkey’s in the oven with 4 hours more of roasting time… what to do? On a gorgeous Marin day like last Thursday, a hike on Ring Mountain with incredible views of Mt. Tam, Belvedere and the city of San Francisco was just the thing to do, particularly with siblings, nieces and nephews here for the holiday.

It’s a Sunday open that usually prompts a blog post like this. It’s usually lost-looking potential buyers that come through after viewing homes that are completely wrong for them. Inevitably, the buyers are ‘flying blind’, figuring they will find an agent later, or they feel loyal to an out-of-area agent, or they will use Aunt Millie from Manteca whose mouth is watering at the thought of a Marin-sized real estate commission. Here are just a few reasons why, when you are ready to buy, it is a really good idea to have an honest, hard-working, local expert on your side.

– You save a lot of time because your agent can suggest itineraries for open homes based on your criteria

– Your agent will take you on a tour of the area if it is unfamiliar territory. The good ones will include schools, pros and cons of various neighborhoods, micro-climate summaries, and the highlights of each town.

– A good local agent is up on all the latest news and regulations surrounding towns and transactions. (Sewer line requirements, flood history, permit practices)

– If you make an offer, the last person you want writing the offer is the agent representing the seller. Remember, the seller is paying the commission and has known the listing agent for much longer. If you go into contract, will you have confidence in the agent’s recommendation against a fireplace or structural inspection? Remember, the agent who does two sides of a deal has a lot at stake. He or she will be doubly-motivated to make sure the deal goes through, possibly at your expense.

Take your time finding a knowledgeable, tough, straight-shooter to work with. And make sure he or she is a likeable sort. Why does ‘nice’ matter? Because the listing agent is well aware of who may be more likely to act unethically during a transaction. Buyer’s agents should be tough negotiators. Walking away from the deal is your best weapon. But as a buyer, you want to make sure that your agent doesn’t have the other side leaning away from you and toward another buyer before the negotiations even begin.

My accountant, TJ Williams in Mill Valley, sends out a very informative newsletter that included the following about the Bush tax cuts that have not been extended by the Obama administration. It’s hard to understand how all this will affect us until it’s spelled out. Here’s TJ on one example showing a 2011 tax bill unless Congress and the President act:

Working couple: John and Marsha both work, and have two children in grade school. Their income is from wages, and they also use the standard deduction. Their income is $70,000 in wages.

In 2010, starting tax is $5,439, less the $2,000 child credit, and less an $800 for tax credit for workers.

TOTAL for 2010 is $2,639

In 2011, unless the direction is changed, the starting tax on this couple is higher by more than a thousand dollars: $6,555. The child tax credit is cut in half, only $1,000. And there is no tax credit for workers.

TOTAL tax bill for 2011 will be $5,555.

Back to me: Businesses and families are planning for these increases and uncertainty by pulling back now. In my opinion, hiring, salaries, or home values will not be increasing any time soon. (but here in Marin, they may not decrease, either!)

I always enjoy a new experience of any kind, and presenting a sealed offer for a probate sale at Marin County’s Public Administrator’s Office turned out to be a good one. My clients and I had monitored the competition on this sale for weeks, strategically planned inspections just prior to the offer, and submitted a very carefully thought out bid. With no competition, and a strong pre-approval letter, they walked away with an acceptance on an incredible price.

It was a very strange place to get such great news… we were on one side of the plastic barrier at the counter — the official reviewing the offer on the other. No matter… great news is great news… and even probates suddenly don’t seem as difficult a process as I expected. Another interesting piece of information: the county will sometimes do light remodeling on a home in order to bring in a higher price. In some cases, like in any sale, it’s necessary to do some work for the home to sell at all.

Contact Julie Leitzell

The accuracy of all information, regardless of source, including but not limited to square footages and lot sizes, is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified through personal inspection and/or with the appropriate professionals. The information at this site is provided solely for informational purposes and does not constitute an offer to sell, rent, or advertise real estate outside the state in which the owner of the site is licensed. The owner is not making any warranties or representations concerning any of these properties including their availability. Information at this site is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified.